Every ‘Wizard of Oz’ Character In ‘Wicked’ & What Really Happens To Them

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The musical Wicked reimagines the stories of characters from The Wizard of Oz, making a comparison between the two works particularly interesting. Now, just a year after the critically acclaimed film adaptation of Wicked hit theaters, the sequel has arrived, and the connections to The Wizard of Oz are even more noticeable – going beyond simple references and shared settings.

Beyond Glinda, Elphaba, and the Wizard, Wicked: For Good also delves into the stories of Dorothy and her three friends from The Wizard of Oz, revealing their backgrounds. The events of the original 1939 film are central to the plot of For Good, especially in the second and third acts, which makes the connections and contrasts between the two stories even more meaningful.

Warning: Includes MASSIVE SPOILERS for Wicked: For Good!

Dorothy Gale


Universal Pictures

In the upcoming film Wicked, Dorothy Gale – the main character from The Wizard of Oz – takes a backseat. Director Jon M. Chu has called her a minor character in this reimagining of the story, and audiences won’t even see her face. Though brief glimpses show she still wants to return home to Kansas and needs the Wizard’s help to do so, the movie doesn’t reveal whether she ever makes it back. The film ends with Dorothy chasing the Wizard as he flies away in his balloon, leaving her behind.

In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy doesn’t leave Oz with the Wizard’s help. Glinda reveals that Dorothy always had the power to return home – she just needs to click her heels together three times while saying, “There’s no place like home.”

Tin Man (Boq)


Universal Pictures

In the musical Wicked, the character of the Tin Man is reimagined as Boq, a Munchkin man who initially attends Shiz University. The story Wicked: For Good shows that, after a time jump, Boq is forced to serve Nessarose, Elphaba’s sister, who has become a harsh and controlling figure. When Boq attempts to leave and pursue his feelings for Glinda, Nessarose uses dark magic to shrink his heart, nearly killing him. Elphaba intervenes and transforms him into the Tin Man. This version of the Tin Man is motivated by bitterness and resentment towards Elphaba because of his involuntary transformation. The story leaves Boq’s fate after Elphaba’s presumed death ambiguous.

In The Wizard of Oz, the Tin Man starts his journey wanting a heart, as he believes his metal body means he can’t feel. However, a different way to look at his story is that he already has the emotional capacity he’s searching for – his kindness and devotion to Dorothy prove he’s capable of feeling throughout their adventures.

Scarecrow (Fiyero)


Universal Pictures

In the musical Wicked: For Good, the character of the Scarecrow is significantly reimagined as Fiyero, who becomes Elphaba’s love interest for much of the story. After being transformed into the Scarecrow, he travels with Dorothy, ostensibly to locate Elphaba. The story concludes with him finding her alive at the castle, and the two of them leave Oz together to build a happier life elsewhere.

In the classic 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, the Scarecrow wants a brain. The Wizard ultimately gives him a diploma, symbolizing he was intelligent all along. When the Wizard departs in his balloon, he appoints the Scarecrow as the ruler of Oz, further proving the Scarecrow already possessed the intelligence he sought.

Cowardly Lion


Universal Pictures

In the musical Wicked, the Cowardly Lion appears as a young cub held captive. Elphaba releases him, but instead of being thankful, he develops resentment towards her, believing her actions hindered his ability to be brave. He feels he would have found courage if she hadn’t intervened. Like the Tin Man, the Lion joins Dorothy’s journey while harboring ill feelings towards Elphaba, and his ultimate fate remains unknown.

The Cowardly Lion is voiced by Oscar nominee Colman Domingo in Wicked: For Good!

In The Wizard of Oz, the Cowardly Lion, like Dorothy’s other friends, is on a quest – to find his courage. He achieves this by playing a key role in defeating the Wicked Witch of the West.

Wicked Witch of the East (Nessarose)


Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures

Okay, so in Wicked, Nessarose is Elphaba’s sweet little sister, and she gets a really bad rap just because people assume she’s like Elphaba. It’s totally unfair, and everyone starts calling her the ‘Wicked Witch of the East.’ Madame Morrible figures out that if she uses Nessarose, she can lure Elphaba into a trap. She basically manipulates Nessarose’s weather powers to drop a house on her—it’s a really dark moment. Then, Glinda gives Nessarose’s ruby slippers to Dorothy, and feeling guilty about what happened to Nessarose is a big part of why Glinda eventually turns against Morrible later on. It’s a really tragic story, honestly.

In The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the East plays a key role, even though she isn’t actually seen in the movie. Similar to the story in Wicked, Dorothy unexpectedly arrives in Oz when her house falls from the sky and crushes the Witch. This makes Dorothy a hero to the Munchkins, who hated the Witch of the East, but it also creates a powerful enemy in the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba.

The Wizard


Giles Keyte / © Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

As a huge fan of Wicked, I always loved the way they reimagined the Wizard! It’s such a clever twist on The Wizard of Oz. Instead of being this all-powerful figure, we find out he’s actually Elphaba’s father! It’s heartbreaking to see him realize the part he played in everything that happened to her, and he ends up leaving Oz, which leaves Glinda to step up and take control. It really adds a whole new layer to the story!

In the classic 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, the Wizard himself is a surprisingly important character despite having limited screen time. He’s the one pulling the strings from behind the scenes, creating the illusion of magic and power. Similar to Dorothy, the Wizard isn’t actually magical – he’s an ordinary man from Kansas who cleverly uses his skills as an engineer to seem like a wizard. When his deception is revealed, he chooses to return to Kansas in his hot air balloon.

Good Witch (Glinda)


Universal Pictures

As a huge fan of Wicked, I was really impressed with Ariana Grande’s portrayal of Glinda. She doesn’t play her as just a bubbly, popular girl; there’s a real depth there. We see Glinda struggle with feeling like she needs everyone to like her because she doesn’t feel powerful magically on her own. But throughout the story, especially through her bond with Elphaba, she really grows into the Good Witch we all know. It’s fantastic to see her finally ready to lead Oz, not just with charm, but with genuine kindness and a good heart.

In The Wizard of Oz, Glinda is a simple and helpful character whose final action is to guide Dorothy back home.

Wicked Witch of the West (Elphaba)


Universal Pictures

In the musical Wicked, Elphaba understands that the only way to truly save Oz is to sacrifice herself and allow Glinda to guide the people toward a brighter future. She cleverly fakes her own death using a trap door, convincing everyone – including Dorothy – that she is gone. Once it’s safe, Elphaba escapes Oz with Fiyero through a secret passage originally used by the animals, the same one featured during her performance of “No Place Like Home.”

In the classic 1939 movie, The Wizard of Oz, the main villain is the Wicked Witch of the East. Dorothy accidentally defeats her by splashing water on her.

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2025-11-22 03:37